Sight for firearms.



PATEN'TED NOV. 29, 1.904.

J1 WINDRIDGE.

SIGHT FR FIREARMS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 21, 1904.

N0 MODEL,

INI/ENTOR UNITED STATES Patented November 29, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES WINDRIDGE, OF MIDDLEFIELD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE LYMAN GUNSIGHT CORPORATION, OF MIDDLEFIELD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OFCONNECTICUT.

FIREARNIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '77 5,958, datedNovember 29, 1904.

Application led March 21, 1904.

T all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, J AMES WINDRIDGE, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Middlefield, in the county of Middlesex and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sightsfor Firearms, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactspecification.

My invention relates to sights for firearms; IO and it has for itsobject to provide improved spring-detent mechanism for folding sights orthat class in which the sight is hinged to the base andyieldingly heldin sighting position by means of a spring-actuated holding tooth ordetent. i

The particular form of sight to which my improvements are adaptedcomprise a base having a pair of upright ears and a folding partprovided with a tongue or joint fitted 2O between said ears and havingtrunnions journaled therein, the trunnions consisting of a detachablepivotal part or hinge bolt fitted through the tongue and held by a nut`which forms one of the trunnions. Springs of U shape, having theirlimbs arranged longitudinally of the pivotal part and adapted` to engagea notchin the ear of the base, have been largely employed in this classof sights; but such devices are expensive and cumbersome 3o and entail amore limited range of elevation of the sight-post, which in such casecannot encroach upon the horizontal plane of the bolt in its verticaladjustment.

My improvements contemplate extending 3 5 the range of adjustment of thesightpost down through the plane of the bolt and placing the springmechanism within the plane of the hinge-ear of the base.

To this end the invention consists in the 40 novel transversely-slottedand perforated bolt and in the novel combination, with the pivotal partor bolt, of a spring and detent arranged. within the trunnion thereofand in the construction of parts, as hereinafter more fully describedand claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure l is a side elevation ofmy improved sight with the fold- SerialNo. 199,305. (No model.)

ing part in the position assumed in sighting. Fig. 2 is a centralvertical lengthwise section 50 on the line w, Fig. 5, the sight in thisand succeeding figures showing a shorter design of adjusting-sleeve andsight-post than those of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly insection, through the central cross-plane of the hinge-bolt head on theline c Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a central vertical transverse section on theline a' a', Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is a front elevation.y Fig. 6 is ahorizontal section on the line y y, Figs. 3 and 4. Fig; 7 is 60 asimilar section on the line .a c, Figs. 3 and 4, but having the springremoved. Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical section through the hingeboltdetached, similar to the section of the same in Fig. 4. Fig. 9 is anenlarged cen- 65 tral horizontal section of the hinge-bolt similar tothe section of the same in Fig. 7, but showing the spring. Fig. l() isan end view of the clamping-nut of the hinge-bolt.

Referring' to the drawings, A designates 70 the base of the sightadapted for being mounted on the firearm rearwardly of the barrel andsecured `by screws through the screw-seat a. It is provided with thevertical transversely-perforated hinge bearings or vears a2, betweenwhich the hinge-eye of the joint B is tted with its perforationconcentric with those of the bearings,but of somewhat smaller diameter.Through these parts is passed a bolt fitting the hinge-eye 7J and havinga cy- 80 lindrical head CZ journaled in one ofthe hingebearings. and ascrew-threaded portion d2, whereon is screwed a cylindrical nut d3,journaled in the other hinge-bearing. The nut projects slightly outsideof the bearing, and such projecting portion is milled away to providethe parallel-sided part d* for the application of a wrench to screw thenut to place. When the nut is tightly screwed against the hinge-eye thuscorrespondingly clamping` the head d against the opposite surface of thehinge-eye, the bolt-head and nut are rigidly held with reference to thejoint and comprise trunnions on which the latter is swung in thehinge-bearings of the base, enabling the sight to be folded downrearwardly from IIA I I the vertical or sighting position (shown in Fig.l) fiat upon the base and out of the way when not in use. The upper partof the joint comprises a vertical cylindrical shell E, havingarectangular spline e milled throughout its length and extending down tothe perforation of the hinge-eye. An annular seat e2 is milled in thejoint around the base of this shell to receive the lower end of a sleeveF, having a slight head or shoulder @3, over which the metal of thejoint is swaged to hold the sleeve in place vertically, but not'sotightly as to prevent the free rotation of the sleeve in the seat thusformed. Said sleeve is screw-threaded internally, and the threads e* ofthe screw are engaged with the teeth @5 of a rack formed on one side ofa sight-post G, fitted in the spline c', as shown in Fig. 6, the teethof the rack being projected exterior to the circumference of the shellE,as shown in said figure, comprising' a portion of the thread of a screw,of which the toothed side of the sight-post is a segment. The upper endof the sight-post is provided with the circular peep-sight oriice g,which may be adjusted at different heights by turning the sleeve F, andthereby elevating or depressing' the sight-post G and its rack.

These parts are old and well known and here require no furtherdescription, the novel features of my improvement being as follows:

Diametrically through the bolt-head is a chamber H, formed by firstdrilling through the head and then reaming out the hole on one side at aslight angle therewith nearly through the head, but leaving' a smallshoulder /L at the periphery thereof at the end of the reamed portion,as shown in Fig. 3. On that side of the bolt-head opposite to saidreamed space another hole h2 is drilled from the periphery of the headinward to the diametral chamber at a right angle therewith. The bolt ispreferably arranged in its bearing with the diametral chamber H nearlyin a horizontal plane and the hole 7b2 vertical in the lower half of thehead, the shoulder it in that case being on the upper side of the head.In the hole is tted a cylindrical plunger c', having a spur fel at itslower end adapted to fit a corresponding notch 'i2 in the base and itsupper end grooved to receive the lower limb i* of alooped or U-shapedspring 3, arranged in the 'diametral chamber with the end portion of itsupperlimb 5 bearing on the upper side of the chamber, as shown in Fig.3. rIhe lower limb of the spring is shorter than the upper limb, as itdoes not require to project beyond the surface of the plunger whereon itrests. The upper limb is bent downward in its central part to provideclearance-space in which to spring upward, and its end is engaged by theshoulder 7L to retain the spring in place against the tendj ency toslide upwardly on the inclined upper i surface of the chamber.

In operation the pressure of the spring 3' downwardly on the plungerretains the spur v1 of the plunger engaged in the notch il in the base,and thus holds the head cl' of the bolt stationary in its bearing. -Thebolt-head is clamped to the hinge-eye of the joint in position to4 bringthe sight-post G in the vertical or sighting' position (shown in Fig. l)when the plunger `is engaged with the notch 2 of the base, as shown inFigs. 3 and 4. From this position the joint, with the sight-post and itsparts, may be folded down rearwardly by moderate pressure applied on thejoint in that direction, the engaging shoulder, formed by the spur ofthe plunger and the notchof the base, being slightly rounded or beveledto permit this action.

With this construction of spring contained wholly within the head of thebolt thev part of the bolt tting the hinge-eye of the joint can be cutaway to permit the passage through it of the sight-post, whereby agreater range of adjustment of the sight can be obtained. To attainthis.I the bolt is preferably milled out to provide a central verticalgroove R, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and in the enlarged views shown inFigs. 8 and 9. Said groove is of the width of the sight-post, leaving'entire the cylindrical sections M M of the bolt tied together by thesegmental section N, extending between the sight-post and the circularfront wall of the hing'e-eye of the joint. Thus constructed thesight-post Gr may be brought down with its end nearly in contact withthe lower side of the eye of the joint, as shown in Fig. 2, whichprovides a very neat and compact design of sight.

A common form of this sight is provided with a cylindrical sight-postinstead of rectangular sided and having' a rack on one side projectingfrom its cylindrical surface; but such construction requires no changein my improvements.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In folding sights forfirearms the combination of a base provided with hing'e ears orbearings, a folding part or joint fitted between the bearings of thebase and provided with cylindrical trunnions journaled in the bearings,a`folded spring received in a diametral cavity in one of the trunnions,and a plung'er guided in a socket in said trunnions and sustaining thethrust of the spring, the bearing of the base being provided with anotch for engaging said plunger to hold the joint in sighting position,substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

2. In folding sights for firearms the combination of a base providedwith hinge ears or bearings, a folding part or joint fitted between thebearings of the base and provided with cylindrical trunnions journaledin the bearings, a substantially radially operating plunger or detentguided in one of the cylindrical trunnions and a spring received in acavity IOO IIO

within the trunnion and actuating the plunger, the bearing of the basebeing provided with a notch for engaging the plunger to hold the jointin sighting position, substantially in the manner and for the purposespecified.

3. 1n folding sights for firearms the combination of a base providedwith hinge ears or bearings, a folding part or'joint provided with 'ahinge-eye fitted between the bearings, a bolt fitted through thehinge-eye of the joint having a cylindrical head journaled in one of the'hinge-bearings of the. base and a cylindrical nut clamping the jointrigidly between the same and the bolt-head and .journaled in the otherhinge ear or bearing, a folded spring received in a diametral cavity inone of the cylindrical journals, and a plunger actuated by the spring toengage a notch in the base to hold the joint in sighting position,substantialy in the manner and for the purpose specifie 4. In foldingsights for firearms the combination of a base provided with hinge earsor bearings, a folding part or joint provided with a hinge-eye fittedbetween the bearings', a bolt fitted through the hinge-eye of the jointprovided with a cylindrical head journaled in one of the hinge-bearingsof the base and having a diametral perforation and a socket opening fromthe periphery into the diametral perforation, a cylindrical nutjournaled in the other hinge-bearing of the base and screwed upon thebolt to clamp the same rigidly to the hingeeye, a looped or U springreceived in the diametral Vperforation of the bolt-head and a plunger ordetent guided in the socket and engaged and actuated by the spring, thehingebearing being provided with a notch for engaging the detent to holdthe joint in sighting position, substantially in the manner and for thepurpose specified.

5. 1n a folding sight for firearms the combination of a base providedwith hinge ears or bearings, a folding part or joint provided with ahinge-eye fitted between the bearings,a sightpost vertically movable andadjustable in the joint, a bolt fitted through the hinge-eye of thejoint with the part` fitting the eye cut away to receive and permit thepassage of the sight-V post, and having a cylindrical head journaled inone of the bearings of the base, a cylindrical nut screwed upon the boltto clamp the same rigidly to the joint, and journaled in the otherbearing of' the base, a plunger or detent carried in the bolt-head, anda spring carried in the bolt-head to actuate the detent, the base beingprovided with a notch for engaging the detent to hold the joint insighting position, substantially in the manner and for the purposespecified.

6. In a folding sight for firearms the combination of the basehavingvthe hinge-ears ct one of which is provided with thedetent-engaging notch 2, the joint B hingedv between said ears, the boltfitted through the joint and having the groove M inthe part fitting thejoint, yand provided with the journal-head d fitting one of thehinge-ears and having the diametral chamber H and the socket 7a2, thejournal-nut Z3 clamping the bolt to the joint and fitting the otherhinge-ear, the spring 3 received in said diametral chamber, the detentt' guided in said socket and adapted to engage the notch of thehinge-ears'to hold the joint in sighting position, a sight-post guidedin the joint and received through the groove of the body of the bolt andprovided with a rack, and an adjusting-nut journaled in the joint andengaging the rack of the sight-post to depress or elevate the post,substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

Signed by me at Middlefield, Connecticut, this 17th day of March, 1904.

\ JAMES WlNDRlDG-E;

Witnesses:

IRADELL L. COOK, HARRY F. PENNIMAN.

